Few bands outside of the “Peaceville Three” demand to be uttered in the same breath – the iconic trio are responsible for what we now know to be gothic doom and death-doom. But a decade later, Swallow the Sun would emerge and energize a genre that seemed to have lost touch with its roots. Led by guitarist Juha Raivio, the band brings their latest studio release, Shining, to the live stage in North America. Joining them on this tour is direct support act Harakiri for the Sky, along with Ghost Bath and Snakes of Russia – a diverse lineup in terms of genre, that somehow still fits together in the context of a single show.
Snakes of Russia, however, is the clearest outlier in terms of sound. Starting the night with a downtempo electronic band, flirting heavily with darkwave, in the perfect way to set the mood for an evening of despair and doom. Though it’s clear that much of the audience is experiencing Snakes of Russia for the first time, the more extroverted goths take it among themselves to dance to the distorted melodies and “death beats” of sole member Joseph Holiday, who performed with only the air of his electronic setup. Like a mesmerizing and unexpected DJ set, Holiday set the tone for the evening – it’s going to get just a little weird, with a hint of crippling depression.
Snakes of Russia
Photo Credit: Tom Mis
With their rig already set up behind Snakes of Russia, the show takes a sharp turn towards the extreme as Ghost Bath enters the stage. Ghost Bath capitalized on some early career attention, leveraging a handful of studio releases and consistent touring opportunities in the US. Blending black metal with depressive and more traditionally melodic elements, the band’s live show has always been exciting – as frontman “Nameless” draws all eyes to him, despite a very busy stage.
While parts of this set may be a bit noisy and extreme for the average Swallow the Sun fan, those already familiar with the band push through to the front and make themselves known. While not everyone’s cup of tea, their dedicated fan base made sure to show up.
Ghost Bath
Photo Credit: Tom Mis
Of all of the support acts, Harakiri for the Sky absolutely shook the room. Their brand of extreme metal finally opened the pit. For a band that can be described as “post-black metal,” their incredibly accessible sound and energy made them an absolute highlight of the night. Though they’re officially only two members (often credited only as MS and JJ), their live performances are rounded out by a full band of talented musicians, mostly since MS couldn’t possibly play every single instrument live by himself.
Despite being direct support for STS, they ultimately only played a handful of songs due to the the length of each – including their newest single, “Keep Me Longing” – a bold, ten-minute statement that fully encapsulates the sound of the band across several movements and constant shifts in feel.
Harakiri for the Sky
Photo Credit: Tom Mis
Swallow the Sun finally takes the stage at 9:30, and Gramercy Theatre truly starts to buzz. It’s a different type of energy – the audience pushes and pulls recognizes that there’s a time and a place for pushing and shoving, and it’s not when the mood is low and slow. Juha Raivio and vocalist Mikko Kotamäki immediately stand out from the rest of the band in their stage performance, and chose to let the melancholy and the misery wash over the audience.
Though the set was heavy on the new material from Shining, which is ever so slightly hopeful compared to much of their output over the years, Swallow the Sun provided not only a live show, but holds up a figurative mirror to the audience – feel your feelings, acknowledge your grief, and seek peace from your pain.
To an outsider, the audience watching Swallow the Sun might seem like a group of troubled souls, disconnected from reality – but in that moment, we were all in tune with Juha and with ourselves. The air felt as though it was sucked out of the room during “Woven Into Sorrow” and “Swallow (Horror Pt. 1)” – an emotional journey. Swallow the Sun created a space for collective catharsis, a place for strangers to swallow the darkness together, and leave just a little bit less strange to each other.
Swallow the Sun
Photo Credit: Tom Mis
